A Return to the Norm

I'M BACK! Did you miss me?

It's OK, I understand that you hadn't really noticed that I've been gone. Time flies, doesn't it? But I have a good reason. Let me explain. No, let me summarize.

I got sick. Something like what I had when I first was diagnosed as gluten intolerant, but different. Something was very wrong.

I went through the usual battery of tests and ended up at the GI Specialist again. Basically, I'm completely healthy, yet sick. My doctor decided to put me on one of THE most miserable diets ever created. The FODMAP diet. Ever heard of it?

Google it. Better yet, here... read this: http://www.med.monash.edu/cecs/gastro/fodmap/

Anyway, I had to go on this diet for 6-8 weeks. It includes a gluten free diet, as well as LOTS of other things. The thought is that a lot of people with gut trouble heal their systems through this diet. About 75% of the people who try it have success!

So, I went on the diet. I hated every minute of it. I whined, I complained, I sulked.

It wasn't pretty.

The trial period ended with me in the GI doctor's office for a consultation. The conclusion?

I'm not one of the 75%.

So, I'm off the diet! Yippee! But I'm still not completely well. Boooo! But, I am back to eating just gluten free. It's amazing how your perspective changes! "Just" gluten free? It seems like a walk in the park now!

So today, in celebration of being back, I have a present for you.

I have THE best gluten free chocolate chip cookie ever. Now, don't get me wrong. You'll find two other GF CCC recipes on my blog. The first is my super-duper-completely-from-scratch-refrigerate-for-an-hour-before-baking cookie recipe. It's the monster recipe of all recipes and it makes a monster sized cookie. The other is a reduced fat cookie that only has 3 tablespoons of butter in the entire recipe. Both recipes rock.

But if you miss Toll House Cookies... if you long to walk down memory lane for a minute... then I have a recipe for you. Now, they aren't low fat. But on the upside, the batter doesn't require refrigeration before baking.

It's all about compromise, right?

Try these. Today. Don't have the secret ingredient in your cupboard? Go today and get it so you can make them tomorrow. Then sit down with a glass of milk... or tea... or coffee... whatever floats your boat... and take a stroll down memory lane.

I promise, you will not be disappointed. Chewy, soft, with melty chocolate. Oh, yes.

PS - The bite out of the cookie below may or may not have been made by me. I may or may not have been able to wait to have one before I finished taking the photo.

PPS - You have no proof it was me.

Best EVER Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie
1 cup room temp butter (if you use unsalted butter, add 1/4 tsp salt to dry ingredients)

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix*

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix

1 10-oz. package mini-chocolate chips (I used "Enjoy Life")

*the secret ingredient... shhhhhhhh....

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use sil-pats on cookie sheets or non-stick cookie sheets.

With a hand mixer, mix butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each one. Add pudding mix and vanilla extract, mixing until combined completely. Add Pamela's Mix and beat until completely combined. Add chips and beat on low to incorporate throughout the batter.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheets and back for 10-12 minutes (I bake for 11 minutes). Cookies will look slightly puffed and maybe a little under-cooked in the center when done. Wait 3-5 minutes before transferring from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.